Of Christian communion to be kept on in the unity of Christs church and among the professors of truth and holiness : and of the obligations, both of faithful pastors to administer orthodox and holy offices, and of faithful people to communicate in the same : fitted for persecuted or divided or corrupt states of churches when they are either born down by secular persecutions or broken with schisms or defiled with sinful offices and ministrations.

PART III. Of SCHISM.

CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Shism. And of the Schism of particular Mem∣bers from their own Church, in throwing off Subjection and Dependance on their own Bishops.

OF the Union of a Society, which Schism breaks. One way of Uniting Societies, is by Uniting them under the same Heads. These, in Church Societies, are the Bishops. Union of particular Members to their own Church, is in Keeping Subject and Dependant on their own Lawful Bishops. And their Schism lies in breaking off from them; especially in set∣ing up Opposite or Anti-Bishops against them. So 1. in such Oppositions, the Anti-Bishop and his Adherents make the Schism, if the former Bishop was Orthodox, and is still Rightful Bishop of the Church. Of George the Cappadocian and Athanasius. 2. The Unity of the Church doth not go with the greatest Numbers. What distinguisheth Meetings in the Unity of the Church, from Schismatical Conventicles. Schismaticks too oft the more Numerous Party. Much less doth it go with Places of Assemblies. 3. There∣fore in pressing Ecclesiastical Unity, Men must be press'd to keep United to their own Orthodox Rightful Bishop, not to any Opposite Bishop. The Gos∣pel Precepts of Love, and Peace, &c. all on this Side, and not to be urged the other way. Such a Schism not to be cared by the Recessions of the Suffering Bishops in the foresaid Cases.

CHAP. II. Of the Schism of particular Churches, from other Sister Churches▪ by rejecting Fraternal Communion therewith.

UNity of one Body, to be kept up among all particular Churches. This is chiefly by the Union and Accord of the respective Bishops and Pa∣stors thereof. All Orthodox Bishops and Churches keep this up, 1. By Re∣ceiving each others Members, as if they were their own Members. 2. And in like sort, by refusing each others Schismaticks. And Excommunicates: And admitting each others Reconciliation and Re-union of Members: Of Communicatory Letters fox those Purposes.

CHAP. III. Of just Grounds to break off Communion: Particularly, of mak∣ing impious and unlawful Things, or unrighteous Usurpations and Incroachments, the Terms of their Communion.

JUst Ground to break off Communion from any Churches, 1. When they put impious or unlawful Things into their Sacred Offices. Reasons hereof. Faith and Worship spoke of as the great Ligaments, which Bind us to any Church. 2. More still, if they admit none to Communion in the good Parts, unless they particularly concur in the corrupt ones too. 2. A Second Ground, is, if they make unrighteous Usurpations the Condition of their Communion.

CHAP. IV. Heresie a just Ground to break off Communion.

CHrists first end, was to Publish a Religion. Next, to Incorporate •••• into a Church or Society, for the Profession of it, Christian Doctrine, the Foundation of Church Society and Unity. So we are not Bound to Asso∣ciate or Unite with any, longer than they keep to this Doctrine, but are dis∣charged by their Heresie. And on the Evidence of the Fact it self, before Synodical Sentence. This Liberty 1. For the People, and Clergy, towards their own local Guides, and Bishops. 2. For Clergy, and People of one Church, towards those of another. And on Defections from grand and ne∣cessary Doctrines of Practice, as well as of Faith. Chiefly, when the Mini∣sterial Defence of either, is no longer allow'd in their Communion. Being thus set loose from their own Erring Bishops and Clergy, they are free to Unite with others who are Orthodox. And those others, are free to receive them. Canonical Rules against intermedling in others Diocess, &c. no hin∣drance thereto. Rules of Unity, not pleadable by such Defectors, for vniting with them. The Guilt of making the Schism, lies on the Defectors. Should their Brethren come over, that would not Cure, but make the Breach from the Catholick Church wider.

CHAP. V. Of the Communion of good Christians, or with whom they are to joyn in Divine Offices under a Schism.

THeir Obligations to stick to their Orthodox Rightful Bishops, and to stand off from the Anti-Bishops and their Adherents, in the fore∣mention'd Cases. As reta ••••••ing their Baptism, they may own the Schis∣maticks

as Brethren: but as being in a Schism, they must stand off from their Communion. A great Sence of the Obligations, to shu•• the Commu∣nion of Schismeticks, and corrupt Teachers, in the first Times. This was most, when Charity was at the hight. This will bar Communion 1. with the Electors, and Ordainers of such Anti-Bishops. 2. With their Clergy and People, or the Assemblies of their Diocess. 3. With other Bishops and Churches, who take their part, and communicate with them. 4. With the Bishops of a Province, who turn over to an Anti-Primate or opposite Metropolitane. Of Provincial Union, and the Rules for Maintenance thereof. 5. When Curch Divisions are made for opposite Ways of Worship and Tenets, Men will Unite with such as are of their own Mind, and hold Communion with those, who are for the same way of necessary Worship and Tenets with themselves.

CHAP. VI. Of Ordinations of Anti-Bishops, which, tho' always Schismatical, are not always Nullities.

OF St. Cyprians saying the Anti-Bishop is not Secundus, but Nullus. That Anti-Bishops are real Bishops, and their Ordinations are not Null in themselves; but were admitted, in the Novatians, by the Council of Nice. In the Donatists, by the Roman and African Councils. The same shown in several other Cases. Tho' Men have Orders, yet they cannot exercise the same in Assemblies of the Faithful, without the Communion of the Church. Such Offenders Received, sometimes to Clerical, sometimes only to Lay-Com∣munion, as the Church saw Cause. The Case of the Anti-Bishops ordain'd by the Schismatick Meletius. Ecclesiastical Laws and Discipline asserted, or abated in such Receptions, as was judged most expedent for the Church. The Donatists made Schism, to take away the Powers of Orders, and are op∣posed therein by St. Austin. How St. Cyprian and the Africanes of his Age, seem to have done the same, which St. Basil disliked in them. Altho' their Nulling the Ministerial Acts of Schismaticks, seems to be only in the Way of Asserting Discipline and Canons, by denying Communion to them in their Churches; not that they thought them Null in themselves. How the Ad∣mission of Ordination of Anti-Bishops, Consists with the Bishops being the Principle of Unity, and is not against the Nature of the Spiritual Monarchy. A Difference as to this, between Secular and Spiritual Monarchies: And of Local Limitations in conserring Orders.

CHAP. VII. Of the Excusableness of the Peoples receiving Ministerial Offices from Men in Schism, rather than live without any at all.

THis wants the Malignity of Schism. The Excusableness thereof shewn, 1. From the Nature and Importance of the things themselves. Where of the great Importance of Publick VVorship, or of Communion in Ministe∣rial Offices. 2. From the Abatements God himself has been willing to make on such Necessity, in other like Duties. 2. From the Practice of Gods People under the greatest Schisms: This Necessity being thought to Legiti∣mate it. 1. Among the Ten Tribes, whose Ministrations were all in a Shism. 2. VVith the Schismatical Novatians in the height of the Arian Persecuti∣on. 3. In the Schismatical Extirpation of Episcopacy among us, in the great Rebellion. 4. Under the Schism of Forreign Churches, where the Protestants have no Bishops. Of the Abatements the Church has made, where it had great Reason, in the Point of Shunning the Communion of Schismaticks, and Excommunicate Persons, especially before they were Sen∣tenced by the Church. The same Equitably Applicable to this Case. How both a due Sence of the Criminallness of Schism, and Exercise of publick VVorship, is provided for by this Means.

CHAP. VIII. Of Communicating in like Necessity, where there are some Pray∣ers Sinful in the Matter of them.

To concur or go along in any unrighteous Petition or Thanksgiving, is most Unrighteous and Prophane. Of mixt Prayers, where the Mix∣tures are Idolatrous, &c. Or where some Immoral Petitions are added to a Service not exceptionable on any other Accounts. Of Bearing such Im∣moral Mixtures, whilst they do not particularly concur therein, but express Dissent from the same, and resorting still to the Assemblyes where they are used, in Care of ••••eping Peace and Union. Of Bearing the same, for the Necessity of having some Ministerial Offices in want of other Opportunityes. Mere Presence at such Immoral Add••tions, no interpretative Profession of Concurrence there••n. Chiefly if Dissent be shewn by some external Sign. Of these Concessions of favour and ease. All highly concern'd to take the Right way in the Points here Debated. Unsofe, should they take the wrong, to trust to the Plea of mistake and Ignorance. Of Zeal against Popery alledg'd therein. The Con〈…〉〈…〉.